Life is more than the scale, and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspiring men and women in Singapore who live healthy and active lifestyles. Is there anyone you can recommend?strike Cheryl On top of that Instagram or Facebook!
name: Jimin Choi (@jiminyoga)
Year: 37
height: 1.64 meters
weight: 51kg
Profession: PURE Group Yoga/Pilates Instructor
situation: married, has two children
food: I maintain a balanced and comprehensive approach to eating and enjoy a variety of foods to meet my nutritional needs. Currently, I don’t follow any specific dietary restrictions and am open to a variety of choices to promote overall health and well-being.
exercise: I have an active lifestyle and do yoga and Pilates 6 times a week as an instructor.
Q: Were you active in sports when you were younger?
A: When I was younger, I was quite away from sports and was more of a bookworm. This aspect of my past is surprising to many people, given my current interests.
What have you become more passionate about as you get older?
During my college years, I joined a yoga program. I have a stiff body so I found it difficult and didn’t enjoy it at first. Little did I know that it would eventually begin my transformational journey to becoming a yoga instructor.
Did you experience anything that made you feel insecure about yourself when you were younger?
When I was younger, I was an introvert. I wasn’t very active or flexible, and I also suffered from scoliosis, which I still suffer from. I’ve never been proud of my body and have experienced multiple health scares, from being hospitalized with a kidney infection in 2011 to his last year in 2023. Therefore, I realized the utmost importance of taking care of my health.
These experiences ingrained in me the deep value of health and daily gratitude. At the end of every yoga class, I make sure to seriously tell my students, “Let’s be grateful and be grateful to ourselves for being healthy enough to get on the mat.” This feeling comes from the bottom of my heart because I understand the true meaning of being grateful for my health every day.
Previously, you worked as a flight attendant.
I started my career as a flight attendant in 2009 and ended my career as a flight attendant in 2011. My lifestyle as a flight attendant was full of adventure, but it also took a toll on my health. For example, I often stood in heels for long periods of time to help passengers, which caused my scoliosis to worsen over time.
What made you decide to quit your job and become a yoga instructor?
My husband and I both work in the aviation industry and were always on planes. But after giving birth to two children, the decision to step away from flying was a natural one. This change has allowed me to prioritize my health and well-being more and strive for a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
I started my career as a fitness instructor in 2018, but it was in 2021 that I met Hibun, a yoga instructor from the PURE group. His classes had a deep impact and inspired me to pursue a full-time role as a yoga and Pilates instructor with PURE Group starting in 2021. In 2022, I began conducting workshops for students who want to improve their yoga practice beyond regular classes. I also took the leap of faith to expand my portfolio and obtain my Reformer Pilates Instructor certification in 2023.
In 2024, as a Registered Yoga Teacher 200 (E-RYT 200) with over 1,000 hours of teaching experience, I was given the opportunity to lead the first yoga teacher training course to teach current and future yoga instructors. Ta. I am grateful to have worked with such talented students and colleagues at PURE Group, and I look forward to continuing to hone my skills so that I can share the transformative power of yoga with you through various platforms. .
When did your journey as an influencer begin?
My journey as an influencer started two years ago when I reached 100,000 followers on social media. Being an influencer has brought only positive opportunities to my life. I am grateful for the experiences and wonderful people I have met along the way. The most rewarding aspect of being an influencer is having a platform and being able to share your knowledge with people from all walks of life around the world.
Both of your children are learning yoga.
Yes, they do it. Three years ago during the pandemic and lockdown, all yoga classes had to move online. This was the first time my children witnessed me teaching yoga. Imagine my surprise when I realized they started joining my Zoom classes in the background. It’s been amazing how my family has embraced yoga because of the pandemic. This is a ray of hope in difficult times.
How are your children involved in your own yoga practice?
I am a strong supporter of family yoga and my family is actively involved in my yoga practice and career. In 2022 I became a certified kids yoga instructor and developed my ability to teach children. Throughout this journey, I have had the honor of collaborating with amazing companies like Meddy Teddy, an international mindfulness movement, and hosting a series of yoga workshops for kids with PURE Group.
I am a strong believer that the practice of yoga is not just for adults, and have seen remarkable benefits since my own children started practicing yoga. Yoga not only gives you strength and flexibility, but it also increases your awareness of your body, which promotes your ability to be resilient and calm in difficult situations.
What are the benefits of doing yoga with children?
BKS Iyengar, the founder of the style of yoga as exercise, claims that yoga has three effects on health: maintaining the well-being of a healthy person, preventing the onset of disease, and recovering from disease. promotes it. By engaging in yoga, the children not only kept their bodies active and improved their mobility, but also instilled valuable calming skills.
One of my favorite verses in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Abhyasa Vairagyavyam Tan Nirodha (chapter 1, verse 12), teaches that through consistent yoga practice and concentration, the mind is strengthened. The idea that the can be controlled and tranquilized is emphasized. Through this, yoga has had a huge impact on my children’s health.
When was the last time you felt least confident?
Yes, there were times when I felt a little less confident in myself both physically and mentally. Having a public profile means you may receive harsh comments or critical feedback about your classes, which can affect your self-confidence. But the point here is that there are no great teachers without great students, and there are no great students without great teachers. We are all in this together. As the saying goes, alone you can go fast, but you can’t go far.
I learned how to overcome negative thoughts by focusing on the positive comments I received from students who expressed their gratitude and felt a positive impact from my classes. I also realized how important my yoga community is. I am so grateful for the amazing community at PURE Group. If it wasn’t for these amazing people, I wouldn’t be here right now. We support each other and that makes this journey meaningful and fulfilling.
Have you ever struggled with your body?
Indeed, having two children has caused me to go through a whole cycle of gaining weight, feeling overweight, feeling fatigued, and then going through a recovery phase. Motherhood is definitely a true gift, but it also comes at a huge cost, especially when it comes to your body. But yoga has been a lifesaver for me in every way, helping me regain control of my body and foster a sense of well-being. It’s incredible how important a role yoga has played in my recovery and journey to rediscovering a healthier, more balanced version of myself.
Are you satisfied with your body now?
I’m happy with my body now. Practicing yoga has taught me that yoga isn’t about striving to be super healthy. Rather, it is a journey of learning how to surrender and let go of judgment and expectations. Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather seeing things as they are, accepting them, and being grateful for what you have. It is important to find a positive state of mind rather than chasing perfection through the physical body. Yoga really changed my perspective and emphasized the importance of inner happiness and self-acceptance over external standards.
If you could change anything about yourself, would you?
I do my best to embody the philosophy of self-acceptance and perpetual growth. Rather than fixating on changing specific aspects of myself, I adopted an approach of gratitude and openness to the ongoing process of self-discovery. I believe that each experience, whether positive or difficult, makes a valuable contribution to my personal and spiritual growth.
Through my recent health crisis, I have learned to appreciate even the little things in life and to see criticism as a humbling teacher. For me, this journey revolves around embracing authenticity and cultivating a positive mindset. This philosophy has not only shaped my personal path, but also serves as a guiding force to inspire those I have the privilege of guiding on their unique journey to happiness.
